Berghill

Latest posts by Berghill

I have always added leaves to our compost heap (not a bin,an open heap) and they have always rotted down well. Oak leaves maybe a lot slower than some, but Cherry should decompose easily if mixed with other material.

I confess to running the lawn mower over them, but that is to pick them up. However, it does shred them up a little which obviously helps them break down in the heap.

We have never really managed to get them to 'blet' properly. they seem to go mouldy first. The one occasion when they did, I cannot say that the taste was particularly outstanding.

For Medlar jelly they do not need to be 'bletted' only properly ripe and going soft (after a good frost is best). Then you purée the fruit with water and allow the mix to drip through muslin. Do not squeeze through if you want a clear jelly. Then it is a pint of liquid to a pound of Jam sugar. I like the jelly but my wife says it is too strongly tannin tasting for her.

My Angel is the biggest thug Clematis we have ever come across. It spreads by roots running all over the place. It has even gone through the concrete raft of our Composting area and come up the other side, say 20 feet away from where it began. AVOID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To get back to the original question. (This was not meant to begin a discussion of the estimable Mr. Don). The person who asked me about it was told that this compost was no longer available to the amateur. Strange mis-information to my mind. I have found lots of it on line.

Someone has asked me about the potting compost used by Monty. It is supposed to contain some microbe which helps roots grow. Now, I never watch Gardener's World so I cannot help. Does anyone know what this is?